The foot is one of the most complicated and sophisticated of all body parts or appendages, and yet its care and maintenance is generally neglected until an affliction or injury occurs, and then the realization supervenes that this is an appendage whose proper functioning is a sine qua non of a healthy, active life.
The afflictions, maladies and injuries that can occur to the foot are many. One type of injury that can occur is metatarsalgia—a type of foot pain that occurs in the ball of the foot and that can impede walking and standing. Another affliction is excess pronation—a problem that occurs as part of the process of human gait and which if untreated can lead to progressive bone deformities. A common foot disorder that causes heel spur and other types of plantar facial pain is plantar fasciitis. Relaxing the musculature of the foot commonly treats plantar fasciitis, and this can be accomplished using braces and splints of various designs. It is often the case that the arch of the foot requires support, and thus arch support orthotics can be disposed upon the inner sole of the shoe for building up the shoe thereby supporting the arch of the foot. For providing comfort to the sole of the foot placing a massaging pad on the inner sole of the shoe is a relatively simple and inexpensive expedient.
An affliction of amorphous etiology is restless leg syndrome that can manifest itself in various ways such as by ineluctable creeping sensations and internal itching sensations occurring in the lower extremities. Generally symptoms are more pronounced at the end of the day when the individual is seated or in bed. One way to obtain at least some relief is for the individual to move his or her legs—often for some period of time. However, it is quite common that restless leg syndrome can occur for long periods of time, such as throughout the night, thus frustrating and impeding any possibility of the individual attaining a sound and restful sleep.
Thus, the prior art discloses a range of devices to treat and alleviate the many foot afflictions and ailments.
For example, the Compton patent (U.S. Pat. No. 2,884,719) discloses a device for the relief and prevention of metatarsalgia and includes a support pad comprised of two layers of material with the support pad aligned with and conforming to the inside edge of the shoe so that the weight of the three adjacent metatarsal heads can be redistributed.
The Hoffman patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,395) discloses a shoe insert for preventing excess pronation that is designed to fit the area of void on the plantar side of the human foot and includes a central portion bounded by a convex portion and sloping portions.
The Shanahan patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,554,107) discloses an elastic foot wrap that is composed of elastic material and includes several toe openings and an ankle opening and which is used for treating plantar fasciitis.
The Chan patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,804) discloses a massaging foot pad for disposition in a shoe or sandal and which includes protrusions arrayed upon a sheet with the protrusions elongated in a horizontal direction and slanted in an orthogonal direction that depress during the downward step and rebound when the foot lifts up off the ground.
The Chtn patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,141,890) discloses a sole pad unit for supporting the metatarsal bone and massaging the center of the sole of the foot and includes an l-shaped massage block mounted on the sole pad unit and capable of depressing under the pressure of the foot, with the massage block having vents to allow for airflow circulation therethrough.
The Greer Jr. et al. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,393,736 B1) discloses an adjustable arch brace orthotic that includes a plurality of adjustable cantilevered extensions that are adjustable by a tensioning means built into the orthotic to vary the arch curve slope and height so that the user's arch can be therapeutically supported.
The Graham patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,558,339 B1) discloses a foot elevator to alleviate heel and arch pain, and which includes a brace in the form of a semi-elastic bandage that supports the heel and arch of the foot.
The Turtzo patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,699,209 B2) discloses a foot splint for the treatment of plantar fasciitis that includes a foot plate on which the sole of the foot rests with the proximal and distal portions upwardly angled and securing means that wrap around the foot for attaching the splint thereto.
Nonetheless, despite the ingenuity of the above devices, there remains a need for a device that alleviates the symptoms of restless leg syndrome and which can be unobtrusively worn on the individual's feet for applying pressure over extended periods of time while the individual is recumbent or relaxing in a chair.